Lackawanna father going to prison for 17 years for his role in kidnapping conspiracy attempting to force his daughter to marry in Yemen

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Khaled Abughanem, 53, of Lackawanna, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country, kidnapping conspiracy, and threatening to retaliate against a victim, was sentenced to serve 204 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on September 8, 2021, Khaled and his son, co-defendant Adham Abughanem, flew from Buffalo, NY, to Guadalajara, Mexico to kidnap the Victim, who is the daughter of Khaled and the sister of Adham. Between September 10, 2021, and April 6, 2023, Khaled and Adham Abughanem conspired to transport the Victim from the Western District of New York to Cairo, Egypt, and then to Sanaa, Yemen, where they confined the Victim for approximately 16 months with the purpose of marrying her to a man not of her choosing. In addition, on March 14, 2023, Khaled Abughanem threatened to “slaughter[]” the Victim in retaliation for information she gave to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission of a federal offense.

Khaled and Adham Abughanem were previously convicted by a federal jury at trial. Adham Abughanem is awaiting sentencing. Another co-defendant, Waleed Abughanem, also a brother of the Victim, was previously convicted following a guilty plea to misprision of felony and sentenced to serve 36 months in prison.

“Khaled Abughanem, along with his sons and other family members, traveled internationally in an attempt to force his daughter and their sister into a forced marriage in Yemen,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “What this defendant and the others failed to recognize was holding someone against their will, so they can enter into a forced marriage, is a crime in the United States. Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct as he will now spend a significant period of time in prison.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI will aggressively pursue those who exploit family ties to commit violent crimes and deprive victims of their freedom,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting victims and working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for crimes that cross international borders.”

“The Diplomatic Security Service welcomes today’s sentencing of Khaled Abughanem for conspiring to kidnap his own daughter in New York and attempting to force her to marry in Yemen,” said DSS Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson. “Justice was served thanks to the unshakable courage of the victim in this case as well as the close collaboration between DSS, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Lackawanna Police Department,”

Khaled Abughanem’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson. Additional assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and CPB in Boston, Massachusetts.

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